Paraguayan Army

Paraguayan Army
Paraguayan Army Seal
Active	Officially since 1811
Country	Paraguay
Type	Army
Size	7,600 active personnel
Motto	Vencer o Morir ("To win or to die")
Anniversaries	24 of July (Mariscal Lopez Birthday)
Engagements	War of the Triple Alliance Chaco War Paraguayan People's Army insurgency
Commanders
Chief of the Paraguayan Army	GEN Darío Martin Cáceres Snead
Notable commanders	José Félix Estigarribia Francisco Solano López

The Paraguayan Army is an institution of the State of Paraguay, organized into three divisions and 9, and several commands and directions, went to war three occasions, in the War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870) against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, Chaco War (1932–1935) against Bolivia, and the ongoing Paraguayan People's Army insurgency.

Mission

• Maintaining the sanctity of the land borders of the Republic of Paraguay.
• To strengthen civil-military relations.
• Cooperate in emergencies, the needs of civil defense.
• Organize, compose and manage reservations.
• To organize, equip and train your strength to face any threat.
• Cooperate in activities to support the country's national development.
• To cooperate with scientific and technological development of the country.

History

Uniforms of cavalry and infantry of the Paraguayan army at the time of the War of the Triple Alliance.

Paraguay's army was formally established in 1811, the year of the country's independence. For the first several years of Paraguay's existence the commanders of the army, such as Fulgencio Yegros and Pedro Juan Caballero, formed the majority of the cabinet until 1814, when they were replaced by Dr. Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia, who installed himself as supreme dictator for life after a series of political clashes with Yegros. Francia removed all army personnel from the government and reformed the army, which was by now inept and corrupt. He limited the power of the army by declaring that no rank above captain could be achieved, and that after three years of service officers were to be retired. By 1816 there were no officers in the army who had fought at the Tacuari or the Paraguari. Francia's horse-grenadier guard company was the first new unit created and was to form the nucleus of the army. Each captain was given command of a branch of the service, which consisted of line infantry, light infantry, dragoons, chasseurs, hussars and artillery. The infantry, artillery and hussars were stationed in the capital Asuncion, and the rest of the army was stationed in outposts around the country to defend from attacks by Indians. The cavalry would go dismounted during peacetime, and were distinguished by the yellow aiguillette sewn onto their left shoulder. Although no formal wars were fought, conflicts with the Chaco Indians, particularly the sub-groups of the Guaykuru tribes, raged in the borderlands. The size of the army varied according to the magnitude of threat. In 1825 it was 5000 strong, but in 1834 it was only 649 strong. There was also a large number of militia troops, which usually numbered around 25,000.

After Francia's death in 1840, Carlos Antonio Lopez assumed power and modernized the army and expanded the navy. He opened an iron foundry at Ybycui that produced arms and bullets and also built up a railway system in the country to transport troops and materiel.

Following the succession of Lopez's son, Francisco Solano López, the army was expanded yet further until it was one of the largest in South America, consisting by 1864 of 44 infantry battalions, 46 cavalry regiments and four artillery regiments. In that same year Paraguay fought its first actual war against Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Despite numerical superiority and initial success, the allies soon upped their game and Paraguay eventually found itself surrounded. Despite constant defeat on the field by the allies, the Paraguayans did not capitulate until Lopez had been killed in 1870, on the run with his 200 remaining men.

Presence in UN Missions

• Haiti (MINUSTAH)
• Cyprus (UNIFICYP)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC)
• Chad Central African Republic (MINURCAT)
• Ivory Coast (ONUCI)

Structure

As of 2012, the Paraguayan Army had a total strength of 7,600 personnel, including 1,600 conscripts.

The Paraguayan Army is composed of a Presidential Guard Regiment, two battalions (infantry and military police), an armored squadron and a battery of field artillery. Their equipment includes three Argentine modified M4 Sherman tanks, four EE-9 armored cars, four EE-11 armored personnel carriers (APCs), three M-9 halftracks mounting 20mm guns and four M-101 105 mm howitzers. Arguably, this "flagship" of military rule is structurally and physically the strongest of the EP. The REP is an independent unit from other commands. The EP features two artillery groups (GAC 1–12 88 mm QF-25 and GAC 2–12 105mm M-101) and one antiaircraft artillery group (GAA 13 40 mm L 40/60, Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and six M-55 4×12, 7.0 mm).

Six battalions of combat engineers, one communications battalion, one Special Forces battalion, seven regiments of infantry and six regiments of cavalry comprise the rest of the force. There is little organic aviation available to it.

Each corps has a weapons school run by its command. The logistical command manages and addresses materials, mobilization, health care, etc. The command of the Army Institute of Education administers three schools, commissioned and noncommissoned officers, a military academy and the CIMEFOR (a center for pre-military study that trains Reserve officers).

Each of the nine divisions that make up the three corps has one or two regiments of infantry or cavalry, its platoon of engineers, its communications section, military police units, etc.

• Presidential Guard Regiment with its base in Asuncion
• 1st Army Corps (Curuguaty)
  • Infantry Division 3
  • Infantry Division 4
  • Cavalry Division 3
• 2nd Army Corps (San Juan Bautista)
  • Infantry Division 1
  • Infantry Division 2
  • Cavalry Division 2
• 3rd Army Corps (Mariscal Estigarribia)
  • Infantry Division 5
  • Infantry Division 6
  • Cavalry Division 1
• Special forces command (Cerrito)
  • One Special Forces battalion and one Special Forces school.
• Army Artillery command (Paraguari)
  • Two artillery groups and one anti-aircraft group, one artillery school.
• One school and one regiment of infantry.
• Army Command of engineers (Tacumbu)
  • One school and six battalions.
• Command of communications (Tacumbu)
  • One school and one battalion.
• Army Training and Doctrine Command
  • One military academy, three military schools, and a noncommissoned officers' academy.
• Army logistic command (Asuncion)
  • The logistic command manages and addresses materials, mobilization, health care, etc.

Equipment

Armored vehicles

Model	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
M4 Sherman	Medium tank	United States	3
M3 Stuart	Light tank	United States	10	10 operational as at 2014, 4 more in storage
M9 Half-track	Armored Personnel Carrier	United States	23
EE-9 Cascavel	Armored car	Brazil	28	Upgraded in Brazil in 2008.
EE-11 Urutu	Armored Personnel Carrier	Brazil	12

Logistic vehicles

Model	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
M.Benz Atego	Tactical Truck	Brazil
M.Benz 1414/51	Tactical Truck	Brazil
Unimog	Utility Truck	Germany
MAN 630	Tactical Truck	Germany	100	Upgraded in Germany in 1994
MAN KAT1	Tactical Truck	Germany	20	ordered in 2013
Engesa EE 25	Tactical Truck	Brazil	5?	maybe not operational
Ford Cargo 17-22	Tactical Truck	Brazil	+78
Ford Ranger	utility vehicle	Argentina	19
Land Rover Defender 130	utility vehicle	United Kingdom	96
Land Rover Defender 110	utility vehicle	United Kingdom
Agrale Marrua	utility vehicle	Brazil	17
Chevrolet S10	utility vehicle	Brazil	104
Mitsubishi L200	utility vehicle	Brazil	+11
ARGO 8×8	amphibious all-terrain vehicle	Canada	12

Artillery pieces and mortars

Model	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
M101 howitzer	howitzer	United States	20/26	105 mm
Ordnance QF 25-pounder	howitzer	United Kingdom	12	87.6 mm
7.5 cm FK 38 Krupp	howitzer	Germany	12	75 mm, in reserve.
Bofors 75 mm Model 1934	mountain gun	Sweden	6/12	75 mm, in reserve.
M20 recoilless rifle	recoilless rifle	United States	?	75 mm
Brandt mle 27/31	mortar	France	80	81 mm
M30 mortar	mortar	United States	8	107 mm
M-120 120 mm	mortar	United States	38	120 mm
60 mm Mortar	mortar	Spain	42	60 mm
M1A1	Anti-aircraft artillery	United States	10	90 mm
Bofors 40 mm L/60	Towed anti-aircraft artillery	Sweden	13	40 mm
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon	Anti-aircraft artillery	Switzerland	20	20 mm, some mounted in vehicles.
Oerlikon GAI- BO1 20 mm	Anti-aircraft artillery	Switzerland	3	20 mm
M3 Half-track	half-trackarmored personnel carrier	United States	3	Armed with 20 mm cannons

Anti-Armor Weapons

Model	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes
Anti-Armor Guns
M40	United States	106 mm. Recoilless rifle	06
M20	United States	75 mm. Recoilless rifle	31
M18 recoilless rifle	United States	57 mm. Recoilless rifle	32
Bazooka M-20	United States	recoilless rocket antitank weapon	136
M72 LAW	United States	Anti-tank rocket launcher	80	First Delivery

Small arms

Name	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Pistols
Beretta 92	Italy	Pistol	9×19mm Parabellum
Browning HP35	Belgium	Pistol	9×19mm Parabellum
Taurus 9 mm.	Brazil	Pistol	9×19mm Parabellum
Rifles
T65	Taiwan	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm
FAL	Belgium	Assault rifle	7.62×51mm
M4 carbine	United States	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm
Norinco CQ	China	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm	Limited use
M16 rifle	United States	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm	Limited use
H&K G3	Germany	Assault rifle	7.62×51mm	In reserve
M24 Sniper Weapon System	United States	Sniper rifle	7.62×51mm
Barrett M82	United States	Anti-materiel rifle	12.7×99mm	Version M-107A1
submachine guns and machine guns
MP5	Germany	submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum
IMI Uzi	Israel	submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum
FN MAG	Belgium	machine gun	7.62×51mm	use for EE9-Cascabel, Land Rover Defender 110.
IMI Negev	Israel	light machine gun	5.56×45mm
Heckler & Koch HK21	Germany	machine gun	7.62×51mm	Version HK-21E
Browning M2HB	United States	machine gun	12.7×99mm
M1919 Browning machine gun	United States	machine gun	7.62×51mm	Version A4
ZB vz. 26 Brno	Czechoslovakia	machine gun	7.62×51mm	Upgraded by IMBEL (Brazil) in the 80s
grenade launchers
M-79	United States	grenade launcher	40 mm. grenade
M203	United States	grenade launcher	40 mm. grenade

Ranks

Officer Ranks

The stars worn by Army and Air Force lieutenants (Sub-Teniente, Teniente, Teniente 1ro) and captains are silver in color. The ones worn by the Major, Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel are gold. The army officers branch is denoted by the color of circular pads under the stars, which is also the same color used for the chevron. Red denotes branches such as Infantry and Artillery, while Cavalry is denoted by a pink. A darker red denotes support branches such as Engineering Corps, Communications, and Intelligence. Green means Supply and Transportation, while purple is reserved for the Medicine Branch. Generals' special chevron consists of a woven depiction of the olive and palm found in the national emblem in gold threads.

Enlisted Ranks

As in the case of the army officers, the army enlisted branch is denoted by the color of their chevrons and bars. The colors and meanings are the same as the ones explained above.

See also

• Military of Paraguay

References

Notes

Works cited

External links

• mdn.gov.py
• [1]